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A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service campground

Kelly Dahl

Forest Service campground in Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG, Gilpin County, Colorado. 8,616 feet. 2.2 miles from Nederland.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
Elevation
8,616 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
25 25 standard non-electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Gilpin County

Overview

Kelly Dahl Campground is located adjacent to the Peak-to-Peak Scenic Byway, near the historic mining towns of Nederland, Rollinsville, Central City and Black Hawk.

Recreation

Although no formal trails exist in the campground, a few closed roads offer campers the opportunity to explore the surrounding area. West Magnolia and East Portal Trailheads offer trails within a short drive. The Rollins Pass Road (Moffat Road) and other off-road routes can be found in the vicinity.

The lakes across the highway are on private property and access is prohibited.

Facilities

The campground offers 46 single-family sites that will accommodate tents, trailers or RVs. Campsites #1 through #20 are first-come, first-served. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring with grill. There is a maximum of eight people per site. Vault toilets, drinking water, and trash collection are provided throughout the campground. Firewood is for sale in campground. The road through the campground is gravel/dirt.

A playground suitable for small children is located within the campground.

Natural Features

The campground is situated among ponderosa pines, on a gentle slope, at an approximate elevation of 8,600 feet. Due to the mountain pine beetle infestation and consequent hazardous tree removal, the campground offers little to no shade.

Nearby Attractions

The town of Nederland, which is four miles north of the campground, offers grocery and hardware stores, restaurants, gas, a post office, bank and Barker Reservoir.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • hiking
  • horseback riding

The land around Kelly Dahl

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated September 2, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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